Casual sex: it's not just for 'sinners' anymore

Sunday morning you wake up late (due to the heavy partying you did the night before) and realize that there's another body lying next to you. You're a bit baffled at first, but then it hits you like a ton of bricks: you normally sleep alone. So who's this warm lump you're spooning? Oh yeah, it's that person you slept with last night. Growing up, we learn a lot about sex, but I don't think the nurse that came to speak to us in our third-grade classroom was really intent on teaching us the rules of casual sex.

She, like most sex educators up until high school, was more intent on teaching us about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy and how to put a condom on a cucumber. But did anyone ever mention to you that sex is also fun? They certainly didn't mention that we'd probably be using it as a form of recreation in the future, or in other words, in college. College: the place where virginity gets lost in oblivion and where sex is usually only one party away. For most, it is not until college that we truly begin to understand the prevalence and nonchalance of sex – especially with the introduction of co-ed dorm halls.

Without a doubt, college is normally where all the fun and experimenting begins. Experimentation, particularly at our age, is crucial because it helps to shape who we become. Casual sex has both avid supporters and staunch opponents. While there are those who consider sex a sacred bond between two people, others see it strictly as a fun activity to be shared with more than one person. I say sex can be both. I am not suggesting you should go out and screw everyone you can take down into the horizontal. I'm simply stating that casual sex has its merits.

Having more than one partner can be wonderful because each one allows you to experience something different. By having casual sex, you also discover different aspects about yourself that would have otherwise lain dormant within you. Admittedly, there is a negative side to adding more people to your sexual repertoire: there is an increased risk of contracting an STD. And while precautions can be taken, there's still that slight chance that your condom could break or that, in a brief spurt of passion, you "forget" to use one. Unfortunately, the only one foolproof method of preventing the contraction of STDs is through abstinence.

But thankfully, there are alternatives. You should make it a point to be extra cautious when experiencing someone new by both using reliable contraceptives and making sure you and your partner have been tested. Another precautionary step would be to stay away from "Run-around Sue or Bob." I'm an advocate of sleeping with more than one person, but I definitely don't think it should be with the "village bicycle." The fact that there are risks involved when it comes to casual sex, doesn't necessarily make doing it a bad thing or – dare I say it – a "sin." But unfortunately for us ladies in particular, this hasn't quite sunk into society's stubborn head just yet.

One-night stands and sleeping with different people are not celebrated aspects of the female lifestyle. This is made evident from the way in which society labels men and women who share in these activities. A man is deemed a pimp for enjoying sex with more than one partner while a woman is branded a slut or whore. But men and women alike should have the right to engage in, and enjoy, as much casual sex as they see fit. Indeed, casual sex is a reoccurring theme of college life, especially at my university. And while it's OK to engage in casual sex, it's important not to take it so lightly that you end up regretting your actions.

Waking up next to that special stranger may be adventurous and fun, but it can also lead to trouble if you're not careful.